System and method of distributed communications

ABSTRACT

A system and method to facilitate synchronized operation and/or distributed operation of one or more aspects of a secure element of a first device in a communication system, such as an NFC capable communication system of the device, that communicates with a mobile device (e.g., a portable device or smartphone).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a system and method for communicatingwith a portable device, and more particularly to communicationcapabilities for a plurality of devices with the portable device.

BACKGROUND

Portable devices, also described as mobile devices, have becomeincreasingly prevalent in communications across a wide spectrum ofapplications. For instance, a portable device may communicate with areal-time locating system, potentially disposed on an object, such as avehicle or a building, in order to facilitate determining location ofthe portable device with respect to the object.

Additionally, or alternatively, the portable device may establishcommunications to provide, receive, or exchange information in a securemanner. For instance, the portable device may include communicationcircuitry capable of communicating according to a near fieldcommunication (NFC) standard. Conventionally, an NFC enabled device maycommunicate with the portable device to exchange data, such astransaction information or payment information. The NFC enabled devicemay be in the form of an NFC reader capable of obtaining informationfrom the portable device via communications according to the NFCstandard. The portable device and/or the NFC reader, in conventionalsystems, may include a secure element (SE) that includes an applet (anapplication or program with read and/or writable data capabilities) thatcommunicates with another NFC capable device (e.g., another portabledevice or another NFC reader). The applet may take the form of anelectronic wallet that stores a secure payment token to implement afinancial transaction in which a physical credit card or debit cardassociated with the secure payment token is not physically present. Inother words, the applet may emulate aspects of the physical card so thatthe portable device and/or the NFC reader can be used without physicalpresence of the physical card. Additionally, rather than being a fixedmedium, the applet may be adapted to incorporate additional paymenttokens or to update software (e.g., to fix a security vulnerability).

SUMMARY

A system and method are provided to facilitate synchronized operationand/or distributed operation of one or more aspects of a secure elementof a first device in a communication system, such as an NFC capablecommunication system of the device, that communicates with a mobiledevice (e.g., a portable device or smartphone).

In one embodiment, a near field communication (NFC) system is providedwith a first device and a second device. The first device may include asecure element (SE) stored as secure element data in the first device.The first device may also include a first device controllercommunicatively coupled to the secure element, and configured tocommunicate secure element information pertaining to the secure element.The secure element information may include at least one of a) a datapacket generated by or provided to the secure element and b) at least aportion of the secure element data of the secure element.

The second device may be remote from and communicatively coupled to thefirst device. The second device may include a second device controllerconfigured to communicate the secure element information with respect tothe first device controller, and operable to provide a second devicesecure element interface based on the secure element information. Thesecond device secure element interface may be a remote interface to thesecure element of the first device.

In one embodiment, the second device may include a second device NFCantenna configured to transmit NFC communications to a mobile device andto receive NFC communications from the mobile device. The second devicemay also include a second device NFC controller communicatively coupledto the second device NFC antenna, where the second device NFC controlleris operable to communicate with the second device secure elementinterface. The second device NFC controller may be configured toreceive, from the mobile device, a mobile device data packet for thesecond device secure element interface. The remote data packet maycorrespond to communications transmitted via a communication linkbetween the second device and the mobile device.

In one embodiment, the secure element information received by the seconddevice controller is a distributed version of a secure element applet ofthe secure element, where the second device secure element interface isthe distributed version of the secure element applet of the secureelement.

In one embodiment, after the mobile device interacts with thedistributed version of the secure element applet via the second devicesecure element interface, the second device controller may providesecure element information to the first device controller and pertainingto a state change with respect to the secure element relating tointeractions between the mobile device and the second device secureelement interface.

In one embodiment, the secure element information is at least one ofreceived by the second device controller and transmitted to the firstcontroller, and where the secure element information pertains to thedata packet generated by or provided to the secure element, wherein thesecond device secure element interface relays the mobile device datapacket.

In one embodiment, a method is provided for communicating via near fieldcommunication (NFC). The method may include communicating secure elementinformation pertaining to a secure element (SE) of a first device, wherethe secure element information includes at least one of a) a data packetgenerated by or provided to the secure element and b) at least a portionof secure element data of the secure element. The method may includecommunicating, in a second device, the secure element information withthe first device, and providing, in the second device that is remotefrom the first device, a second device secure element interface that isbased on the secure element information communicated with the firstdevice.

In one embodiment, the method may include transmitting NFCcommunications from the second device to a mobile device, and receiving,in the second device, NFC communications transmitted from the mobiledevice that includes a mobile device data packet for the second devicesecure element interface.

In one embodiment, the method may include obtaining a lock with respectto the secure element of the first device, operating the second devicesecure element interface as the secure element of the first device, andsubstantially preventing a third device secure element interface of athird device from operating as the secure element of the first deviceuntil after the lock is released.

In one embodiment, the method may include the second device receivingthe secure element information in accordance with a distributed versionof a secure element applet of the secure element, and providing thesecond device secure element interface conducting NFC communications inaccordance with the distributed version of the secure element applet ofthe secure element.

In one embodiment, the method may include communicating, in the seconddevice, the secure element information with the first device includesrelaying the mobile device data packet to the secure element of thefirst device.

Before the embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it isto be understood that the invention is not limited to the details ofoperation or to the details of construction and the arrangement of thecomponents set forth in the following description or illustrated in thedrawings. The invention may be implemented in various other embodimentsand of being practiced or being carried out in alternative ways notexpressly disclosed herein. Also, it is to be understood that thephraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of“including” and “comprising” and variations thereof is meant toencompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well asadditional items and equivalents thereof. Further, enumeration may beused in the description of various embodiments. Unless otherwiseexpressly stated, the use of enumeration should not be construed aslimiting the invention to any specific order or number of components.Nor should the use of enumeration be construed as excluding from thescope of the invention any additional steps or components that might becombined with or into the enumerated steps or components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a representative view of a system in accordance with oneembodiment.

FIG. 2 shows a representative view of the system of FIG. 1 in accordancewith one embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a representative view of aspects of an object device inaccordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 4 shows a representative view of aspects of a remote device inaccordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 5 shows a method of operation in accordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A system and method according to one embodiment are provided tofacilitate synchronized operation and/or distributed operation of one ormore aspects of a secure element of a first device in a communicationsystem, such as an NFC capable communication system of the first device,that communicates with a mobile device (e.g., a portable device orsmartphone). In one embodiment, the first device may share the secureelement, or aspects thereof, with one or more remote devices, enablingeach of the one or more remote devices to communicate with the mobiledevice according to the shared portion of the secure element in place ofthe first device. Additionally, or alternatively, the first device andthe one or more remote devices may be operable to communicateinformation pertaining to the secure element via a communication link toenable a remote device to communicate according to an aspect of thesecure element without all or a portion of the aspect being provided onthe remote device. For instance, the remote device may relaycommunications from the mobile device to the first device for processingby the secure element of the first device, and a response from thesecure element may be communicated back to the remote device fortransmission to the mobile device.

In one embodiment, the first device may share the secure element, oraspects thereof, with one or more remote devices. Additionally, oralternatively, the first device may share the secure element, or aspectsthereof, with a second remote device, and that second device may sharethe secure element, or aspects thereof, with a third remote device.Communications may occur in reverse as well, with the third remotedevice sharing information to the second remote device, which thenshares information with the first device.

A system and method according to one embodiment of the presentdisclosure may allow a mobile device to communicate with a secureelement of the first device without communicating directly with thefirst device. In one embodiment, the mobile device may be capable ofcommunicating wirelessly in accordance with a communication standardthat allows for communication over relatively short distances,including, for example, the NFC standard (e.g., less than 10 cm or lessthan 20 cm). Multiple remote devices may be disposed distal from thefirst device at a distance that is greater than the effectivecommunication distance of the communication standard (e.g., a distancegreater than 10 cm or 20 cm in the case of NFC). Each of the remotedevices may be operable to communicate with the mobile device inaccordance with the communication standard and in accordance with one ormore aspects of the secure element stored in the first device. This way,the remote devices may increase the effective distance of communicationsaccording to the communication standard, and allow the mobile device tocommunicate according to the communication standard over larger areas.In a practical example, the remote devices may be disposed in aplurality of locations on an object (e.g., a vehicle), and an NFCcapable mobile device may communicate with any one of the remote devicesaccording to an aspect of the secure element of the first device. Eachof the remote devices may be indistinguishable from each other withrespect to the secure element, or an aspect thereof. If the mobiledevice or the secure element, or both, is configured to pair with theother of the mobile device or the secure element (such as by securelystoring information pertaining to the other of the mobile device or thesecure element) pairing with each of the remote devices may be avoided.In other words, each of the remote devices may operate in accordancewith the pairing so that additional paring for each remote device can beavoided.

In one embodiment, the system and method according to one embodiment mayfacilitate content distribution of a secure element from a first deviceto one or more remote devices. The secure element may be synchronizedamong the first device and the one or more remote devices via acommunication link. A mobile device may pair with one of the firstdevice and the one or more remote devices, and synchronization orcontent distribution among the first device and the one or more remotedevice may enable the mobile device to communicate with any one of thefirst device and the one or more remote devices as if that device weresubstantially the same as any other of the first device and the one ormore remote devices with respect to the paired communication. The mobiledevice may not need to pair with each of the first device and the one ormore remote devices.

The communication link between the first device and the one or moreremote devices may be a low bandwidth link in one embodiment, such thatthe bandwidth of the communication link is incapable of effectivelyrelaying communications to and from a remote device and the first deviceto present the remote device as having the secure element of the firstdevice. Using the communication link, one or more aspects of the secureelement of the first device may be communicated to the one or moreremote devices (e.g., when possible, such as before communicating withthe mobile device) and stored in memory of the one or more remotedevices. Communications relating to the secure element, such ascommunications that occur before communications with the mobile device,pertain to content distribution and/or synchronization among the firstdevice and the one or more remote devices.

In one embodiment, changes to one or more data items, data, orinformation associated with a secure element may be synchronized withthe first device and the one or more remote devices via a communicationlink between the first device and the one or more remote devices. Thechanges may be synchronized periodically or in response to an event,such as in response to an item change, data change, or informationchange, or any combination thereof. For instance, as discussed herein infurther detail, if memory associated with the secure element is modifiedor updated in one device in response to providing temporary access to anobject associated with the device and relative to the mobile device, thechanges to memory may be distributed to one or more other devices viathe communication link so that any one of the first device and the oneor more remote devices may be capable of authenticating access to theobject in response to communicating with the mobile device.

In one embodiment, the secure element or an aspect thereof may becommunicated from the first device to one or more remote devices andprovided on the one or more remote devices. With multiple copies of thesecure element or an aspect thereof being provided in multiplelocations, a failure of any one device may be recoverable by replacementof the failed device and providing a copy of the lost data to the newdevice.

In one embodiment, memory associated with the secure element may bedistributed over a plurality of devices, such as across the first deviceand a remote device, such that at least a portion of the memory isstored in one device but not another. This way, in cases where thememory requirements of the secure element are large relative to theavailable space on any one device, the effective memory of the secureelement can be increased.

In one embodiment, content distribution and/or synchronization of one ormore aspects of a secure element may be conducted in a manner thatprovides distributed operation of one or more applets of the secureelement without affecting operation of one or more applets of the secureelement or being perceptible to the one or more applets. This way, anapplet provided for the system may be generated independent of orwithout awareness of the content distribution and/or synchronizationfunctionality provided in accordance with one embodiment of the presentdisclosure. An applet in one embodiment may be configured to facilitatecontent distribution and/or synchronization in accordance with one ormore embodiments described herein. The applet configured in this way mayor may not be privileged. Such an applet may be considered a dedicatedapplet.

Although one or more embodiments according to the present disclosure mayinvolve synchronization of a secure element, or aspects thereof, acrossmultiple devices, it is to be understood that the present disclosure isnot so limited. In one embodiment, the system may include multipledevices each including a secure element or a distributed form thereof.Because there are multiple secure elements in the system, potentiallydisposed at different locations, the system may provide one or more ofreduced latency, additional storage, and additional compute capacity.Such a system may provide an enhanced user experience.

It is noted that synchronization and/or content distribution in one ormore embodiments according to the present disclosure may include one ormore versions and/or signatures of summaries of the data in a secureelement that is communicated. In this way, the system may determinewhich secure elements to update. Optionally, the system may determine acourse of action for updating the secure elements, or an aspect thereof.

In one embodiment, memory associated with a secure element may bedistributed over multiple devices, such that memory associated with asecure element applet of said secure element is decentralized. Thisdecentralization may be managed by a synchronization protocol that is atleast one of distributed, decentralized, and synchronized. Data may bedistributed in any manner. For instance, data may be centralized to onesecure element and/or data may be copied in multiple secure elements.Additionally, or alternatively, a decentralized protocol may be utilizedto synchronize and/or distribute data across a network.

I. System Overview

A system in accordance with one embodiment is shown in the illustratedembodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 and generally designated 100. The system 100may include one or more system components as outlined herein. A systemcomponent may be a user 60, an object device 50, or remote device 40shown in the illustrated embodiments of FIGS. 3 and 4. The systemcomponent also may be a mobile device 20 or another electronic componentincluding one or more aspects of the example devices. The underlyingcomponents of the system component, as discussed herein, may beconfigured to operate in conjunction with any one or more systemcomponents. In this sense, in one embodiment, there may be severalaspects or features common among the mobile device 20, the remote device40, and the object device 50, as well as other components of the system100 described herein.

For instance, one or more features described in connection with theobject device 50 depicted in FIG. 3 may form part of a mobile device 20or the remote device 40, or any combination thereof. Conversely, one ormore features described in conjunction with the mobile device 20 or theremote device 40 may form part of the object device 50. Additionally, oralternatively, it is to be understood that any feature described inconjunction with any of the object device 50, mobile device 20, remotedevice 40, and any system component, may be absent in one or moreembodiments. In one embodiment, the object device 50 or a component of acontrol system of an object 10 may include the same or similarcomponents described in conjunction with a system component, and mayform a component disposed on the object 10, such as a vehicle or abuilding.

An object device 50 in the form of a system component may becommunicatively coupled to one or more systems of the object 10,collectively forming an object control system to control operation ofthe object 10. Information may be communicated among system componentsof the object control system, such as by being transmitted and receivedbetween two or more components of the object 10.

As mentioned herein, the object 10 including the object device 50 mayinclude communication capabilities. The object 10 may include one ormore communication networks 150, wired or wireless, that facilitate suchcommunication, such as a wired bus shown in the illustrated embodimentof FIG. 1. The communication network 150 may also enable one or moresystem components, internal or external to the object control system, tocommunicate with the object control system. For instance, thecommunication network 150 may facilitate communication between theobject control system (including one more system components as describedherein) and the object device 50. Such a communication network 150 maybe a CAN bus and is shown as a vehicle bus in the illustrated embodimentof FIG. 2. Additionally, or alternatively, the object control system mayfacilitate communication directly or indirectly among system components.For instance, the object control system in the illustrated embodiment ofFIG. 1 is configured to communicate and enable direct communicationbetween the object device 50 and an object control 12, embodied toinclude an engine control module (ECM).

In one embodiment, the object 10 may include a telematics control unit(TCU), which is not shown. For instance, the TCU may be connected to theobject control system via the communication network 150 or another typeof communication link, such as an SPI link. In another embodiment, theTCU may be combined with the object control system, such as being partof the object control 12. The TCU may be absent in one embodiment anddata that would have been provided by the TCU may be tunneled throughthe mobile device 20 (e.g., via BTLE). “Tunneled” may be defined as atraditional tunnel—like running TCP/IP over BTLE; however, the presentdisclosure is not so limited. The tunnel may be defined as aconfiguration that enables relevant data to be communicated to theobject control system or other system components via commands/responses.

In one embodiment, the TCU may include a cellular modem or other longrange WAN radio (Lora, Sigfox, etc.).

In one embodiment, as described above, the TCU is not a required part ofthe system; for instance, all functionality of the TCU and the system itcommunicates with may be performed locally (e.g., not in the cloud).

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the object 10 isprovided with an object device 50 and a plurality of remote devices 40disposed at positions relative to the object 10. For instance, in thecontext of the vehicle shown in FIG. 2, the remote devices 40 aredisposed inside or near the vehicle door 14, inside or near the vehiclerearview mirror 15, or a variety of other locations of the vehicle.Example locations are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,356,550 toSmith et al., entitled METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ESTABLISHING MICROLOCATIONZONES, filed Dec. 14, 2017, issued Jul. 16, 2019, and U.S. Pat. No.10,362,461 to Stitt et al., entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MICROLOCATIONSENSOR COMMUNICATION, filed Dec. 22, 2017, issued Jul. 23, 2019—thedisclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentirety.

The remote devices 40 in one embodiment may be sensors or monitordevices capable of detecting communications with respect to the mobiledevice 20 and another system component, such as the object device 50 oranother remote device 40. In one embodiment, the remote devices 40 maycommunicate sensed information (e.g., signal strength, time of flight,angle of arrival) pertaining to communications detected with respect tothe mobile device 20. For instance, the remote device 40 may communicatesensed information via a communication link 130 to another device, suchas the object device 50, connected to the communication link 130. Theobject device 50 may be operable to determine a location of the mobiledevice 20 based on the sensed information. Examples of such adetermination are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,356,550 to Smith etal., entitled METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ESTABLISHING MICROLOCATION ZONES,filed Dec. 14, 2017, issued Jul. 16, 2019, and U.S. Pat. No. 10,362,461to Stitt et al., entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MICROLOCATION SENSORCOMMUNICATION, filed Dec. 22, 2017, issued Jul. 23, 2019—the disclosuresof which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

Based on the determined location of the mobile device 20 relative to theobject 10, the object device 50 may transmit a command or instruction tothe object control 12 to enable a capability of the object 10, such asto mobilize the object 10 in the case of a vehicle, or to enable accessto a location related to the object 10. The object device 50 in oneembodiment may include a locator capable of receiving sensor informationpertaining to wireless communications with the mobile device 20 (e.g.,Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) and/or Ultra Wide Band (UWB)communications), including one or more signal characteristics of thecommunications, such as signal strength (e.g., RSSI), Angle of Arrival,and Time of Flight. In one embodiment, as described herein, the objectdevice 50 may include a secure element controller 220 capable offacilitating communications with a secure element 230 of the objectdevice 50. The secure element 230 may vary from application toapplication. For example, the secure element 230 provides secure storageand processing capability with any of the following configurations: a) aseparate module/IC from a host (application) module, with its ownstorage and execution software (operating system and applets), b) aseparate module/IC from a host (application) module, with its ownstorage, but with its execution software (operating system and appletsand/or application software) in the host module, c) an isolatedintegrated module of a host (application) module, with its own storageand execution software (operating system and applets), d) an isolatedintegrated module of a host (application) module, with its own storage,but with its execution software (operating system and applets and/orapplication software) in the host module, e) an integrated component ofa host (application) module software, with its storage isolated fromother host (application) components via software or hardware mechanisms(with its execution software [operating system and applets and/orapplication software] operating as an isolated or integrated componentof the host module (application) software). In other words, the secureelement 230 may be a separate module (SE), an integrated module (HSM),or part of the software with secured storage, or a differentconfiguration depending on the application.

The secure element 230 may include a container [e.g., a processor] andmemory, and the memory may store the OS (e.g., JCOP or something else)of the secure element 230. Running within the OS are Applets(applications) and data (application data). The secure element 230 mayinclude both RAM and ROM. The secure element 230 may include an attachedhost processor; however, the secure element 230 may not require such aseparate host processor, and thus the secure element 230 may be the onlyprocessor of the device. For instance, a first device and a seconddevice may be connected via some network (e.g., CAN, ethernet) and theprocessing of that network may occur within an applet in the secureelement 230 or as part of the operating system software of the secureelement 230.

In one embodiment, a secure element 230 may derive data as part ofcommunications with a portable device that needs to be distributed. Forinstance, an SE applet 232 may compute a key, and this key may beshared/distributed to other SEs in the system 100.

In the illustrated embodiment, the secure element 230 includes memoryseparate from the memory 212. However, the present disclosure is not solimited. For instance, the memory of the secure element 230 maycorrespond to the memory 212 of the object device 50, such that thesecure element 230 shares memory 212 of the object device 50.

As described herein, the object device 50 and a remote device 40 mayinclude NFC capabilities. The NFC may be coupled indirectly or directedto the secure element 230 of the object device 50. The NFC may becoupled indirectly or directed to a component of the remote device 40pertaining to the secure element 230 (e.g., a distributed version of thesecure element 230).

Communications with the secure element 230 may be conducted by one ormore of the remote devices 40 in a distributed or shared manner asdescribed herein, such that secure element information is transmittedfrom the object device 50 to the remote device 40 via the communicationlink 130. The communication link 130 may be a wired connection orwireless connection, or a combination thereof. As an example, thecommunication link 130 may be established via a BTLE connection, or thecommunication link 130 may be established via a CAN bus.

The mobile device 20 in the illustrated embodiment may be capable ofcommunicating via a communication link 140 with one or more of theremote devices 40 and the object device 50 according to a communicationstandard. The communication link 140 in the illustrated embodiment is anNFC communication link, but the present disclosure is not so limited.

The communication link 140 in one embodiment is not limited to a singletype of communication link or establishment of a single communicationlink at a given time between the mobile device 20 and a system componentof the object 10. For instance, the mobile device 20 may establish afirst communication link 140 with a first remote device 40 according tothe NFC standard, and may simultaneously establish a secondcommunication link 140 with the object device 50 according to the BTLEstandard. As another example, the mobile device 20 may establish a firstcommunication link 140 with a first remote device 40 at one timeaccording to the NFC standard, and establish a second communication link140 with a second remote device 40 at another time according to the NFCstandard or according to the BTLE standard.

In the illustrated embodiment, the communication link 140 is shownoptionally present, in phantom lines, between the mobile device 20 andeach of the object device 50 and the plurality of remote devices 40. Itis noted that, as discussed herein, one or more of these communicationlinks 140 may be established at any given time, and that multiplecommunication links 140 may be established simultaneously orconcurrently (with the same device or separate devices).

As discussed herein, the object device 50 may include a secure elementcontroller 220 capable of facilitating communication with respect to asecure element 230 in a distributed or shared manner across more thanone device. Such communication may be achieved via one or more of thecommunication links 140, such that an effective range for communicationsin accordance with an aspect of the secure element 230 may be increased.Additionally, or alternatively, the communication via one or more of thecommunication links 140 via a plurality of devices (e.g., two or more ofthe object device 50 and the plurality of remote devices 40) may enhancethe robustness of available communication between the mobile device 20and an aspect of the secure element 230.

II. Object Device

The object device 50 in accordance with one embodiment is shown in FIG.3. The object device 50 may include a control system 200. The controlsystem 200 of the object device may include one or more processors 210that execute one or more applications (software and/or firmware), one ormore communication interfaces 214, and a secure element controller 220operable to facilitate communication with respect to a secure element230 of the object device 50. In one embodiment, the secure elementcontroller 220 may be an NFC controller operably coupled to thecommunication interface 214. The object device 50, as described herein,may include memory 212 (e.g., RAM and/or ROM), which may be internal orexternal to the control system 200—although it is shown external to thecontrol system 200 in the illustrated embodiment. It is noted that thepresent disclosure is not limited to use of NFC in conjunction with thesecure element 230. For instance, instead of an NFC controller, thesecure element 230 may operate in conjunction with any wired or wirelesstechnology, including a BLE or UWB controller, or an applicationprocessor not connected to radios.

In the illustrated embodiment, the communication interface 214 may beoptionally coupled to one or more antennas 217 (e.g., an NFC antenna).As described herein, although the object device 50 includes the secureelement 230 for NFC communications, the object device 50 may notnecessarily be capable of communicating wirelessly with an NFC capabledevice—e.g., the mobile device 20. Rather, in one embodiment, the objectdevice 50 may communicate secure element information with one or moreremote devices 40, which may be capable of communicating wirelessly withan NFC capable device in accordance with the NFC standard.Alternatively, the object device 50 may include an NFC antenna, and thesecure element controller 220 may communicate with the mobile device 20in accordance with the NFC standard.

The control system 200 of the object device 50 may include an operatingsystem that controls access to lower level electronics of the controlsystem 200 via the communication interface 214, which may operate as aninterface between one or more components of the control system 200 orbetween one or more components of the control system 200 and one or morecomponents of the object device 50 external to the control system 200.For instance, the operating system may facilitate transmission andreception of communications to an object device communicator 215, whichmay be configured to facilitate communication with one or more remotedevices 40 disposed on the object 10. The object device communicator 215may be operable to establish the communication link 130 between theobject device 50 and one or more of the remote devices 40. It is to beunderstood that the object device communicator 215 is not necessarily anauxiliary communicator or secondary communicator, and may form theprimary communication circuitry for establishing external communicationswith respect to the object device 50. In one embodiment, the objectdevice communicator 215 may facilitate establishing the communicationlink 130 as well as exchanging communications via the communicationnetwork 150. For instance, the communication link 130 and thecommunication network 150 may share a physical medium or transmission ofcommunications signals, and the object device communicator 215 may beoperable to generate and process such communications signals.

In one embodiment, the secure element controller 220 may be operable tocommunicate directly with one or more components coupled to thecommunication interface 214, such as an antenna 217 or the object devicecommunicator 215, or both. A secure element controller 220, forinstance, may bypass an operating system of the control system 200 toallow direct interface between a secure element applet 232 of the secureelement 230 and a component coupled to the communication interface 214,such as an antenna 217 or the object device communicator 215, or both.

The object device communicator 215 may provide any type of communicationlink, including any of the types of communication links describe herein,including wired or wireless. The communication interface 214 mayfacilitate communication in conjunction with the object devicecommunicator 215 that is external or internal, or both. As an example,the communication interface 214 in conjunction with the object devicecommunicator 215 may provide a wireless communication link with anothersystem component in the form of the remote device 40, such as wirelesscommunications according to the BTLE standard, or an external servercomponent (e.g., the cloud) via a Wi-Fi Ethernet communication link. Inanother example, the communication interface 214 in conjunction with theobject device communicator 215 may be configured to communicate with anobject component (e.g., a vehicle component) via a wired link such as aCAN-based wired network that facilitates communication between aplurality of devices. The control system 200 in one embodiment mayinclude a display and/or input interface coupled to the communicationinterface 214 for communicating information to and/or receivinginformation from the user 60.

The object device 50, and one embodiment, may be configured tocommunicate with one or more auxiliary devices (not shown) other than asystem component or a user 60. The auxiliary device may be configureddifferently from a system component, such as by not including aprocessor and instead including at least one direct connection and/or acommunication interface for transmission or receipt, or both, ofinformation with the object device 50. For instance, the auxiliarydevice may be a solenoid that accepts an input from the object device50, or the auxiliary device may be a sensor (e.g., a proximity sensor)that provides analog/and or digital feedback to the object device 50.

The secure element 230, in the illustrated embodiment, is shown separatefrom memory 212; however, one or more aspects of the secure element 230may be stored in memory 212, which may be tamper-resistant memory forsecurity sensitive applications, such as the secure element 230 and oneor more secure element applets 232 provided in the secure element 230.The secure element 230 in the illustrated embodiment is the secureelement controller 220, which may facilitate communications with thesecure element 230 in accordance with one or more embodiments herein,including communications with one or more remote devices 40 to enabledistributed and/or shared use of the secure elements 230 by devicesother than the object device 50. The secure element controller 220, inone embodiment, may include an NFC communication controller that handlescommunications to and from the secure element 230 in conjunction withNFC related communications with the mobile device 20 and the objectdevice 50 or a remote device 40.

The secure element 230 may be operable to generate data packets and toreceive data packets from a secure element controller 220. The secureelement controller 220 may receive and/or transmit such data packets assecure element information or part of secure element informationcommunicated via the communication interface 214.

The secure element 230, as described herein, may include one or moresecure element applets 232, also described as an applet 232. An applet232 may be an application or type of software configured to enable aparticular task or set of instructions. The applet 232 may include aninterface with one or more readable and/or writable memory portions tofacilitate performance of the task or set of instructions. The memoryportions may or may not be provided in the memory 212. The applet 232may form a closed or managed software application separate from useraccessible aspects of the object device 50. In other words, the applet232 may perform the task or set of instructions separate from otheraspects of the control system 200 such that the modifications to thecontrol system 200 are potentially incapable of modifying instructionsor accessing memory associated with the applet 232 without doing sothrough an application program interface of the applet 232. This way, anapplet 232 can be considered a controlled set of instructions to enablea particular task in a secure manner. Updates or modifications to theapplet 232 may be conducted via an application program interface of theapplet 232 and/or the secure element 230. For instance, the secureelement 230 may allow removal or installation of an applet 232 withinmemory space of the secure element 230. Likewise, the secure element 230may allow modifications or updates to the applet 232 if authorization todo so is established.

Examples of applets 232 include an electronic wallet capable offacilitating financial services or payment processing without a physicalcard (e.g., without a credit card or debit card). Additional examples ofapplets 232 include a credential store capable of facilitatingauthentication and/or authorization with respect to one or more actions,commands, or instructions of the object 10.

An applet 232 may be operable to communicate with an external device,such as a point-of-sale terminal. Alternatively, the applet 232 may formthe point-of-sale terminal for communicating with a corresponding appletof a mobile device 20.

The secure element 230, as discussed herein, may be configured to storeinformation in memory 212. Such information may be stored by the applet232 or another aspect of the secure element 230. Example types ofinformation include credentials, authorization information, andauthentication information used for facilitating secure communicationsrequesting an action in a secure manner. For instance, the informationmay be authenticating a mobile device 20 and determining the mobiledevice 20 (e.g., or a user 60 of the mobile device 20) is authorizedwith respect to a command or action pertaining to the object 10. In oneembodiment, the applet 232 may facilitate authenticating and authorizinga request from the mobile device 20 to unlock a vehicle door 14.Additionally, or alternatively, the vehicle door 14 may be unlocked inconjunction with a location determination with respect to the mobiledevice 20. For instance, the object device 50 may determine that thelocation of the mobile device 20 is within a zone relative to thevehicle door 14 that is associated with unlocking or enabling thevehicle door 14 to be unlocked, and the secure element 230 maycommunicate with the mobile device 20 in order to determine whether themobile device 20 is authenticated and/or authorized to enable thevehicle door 14 to be unlocked.

III. Remote Device

The remote device 40 in accordance with one embodiment is shown in FIG.4. The remote device 40 may include a control system 300, which may besimilar to the control system 200 of the object device 50 in severalrespects. For instance, the control system 300 of the remote device 40may include one or more processors 310 that execute one or moreapplications (software and/or firmware), one or more communicationinterfaces 314, and a secure element controller 320.

The secure element controller 320 of the remote device 40 may facilitatecommunication with respect to the secure element 230 of the objectdevice 50. In one embodiment, the secure element controller 320 may bean NFC controller operably coupled to the communication interface 314.The remote device 40, as described herein, may include memory 312 (e.g.,RAM and/or ROM), which may be internal or external to the control system300—although it is shown external to the control system 300 in theillustrated embodiment.

In the illustrated embodiment, the communication interface 314 may becoupled to one or more antennas 317 (e.g., an NFC antenna). The remotedevice 40, via the communication interface 314 and the antenna 317, mayestablish a communication link 130 with the mobile device 20. Thecommunication link 130 may be established according to the NFC standard.

The remote device 40 in the illustrated embodiment may include a remotedevice communicator 315 similar to the object device communicator 215,and capable of facilitating establishment of the communication link 130with the object device 50 in conjunction with the communicationinterface 314 of the remote device 40. The secure element controller 320of the remote device 40 may directly interact with the communicationinterface 314, similar to the communication interface 214 and secureelement controller 220 of the object device 50.

In the illustrated embodiment, the secure element controller 320 mayinclude a secure element interface 340, which, as described herein, mayform a remote or distributed interface with respect to the secureelement 230.

In one embodiment, the secure element interface 340 of the secureelement controller 320 may be operable as a pass-through or relay forcommunications established between the mobile device 20 and the remotedevice 40. Information communicated to and from the secure element 340of the secure element controller 320 and the secure element controller220 of the object device 50 may be considered secure elementinformation. In other words, communications from the mobile device 20directed to the secure element controller 320 may be transmitted to thesecure element controller 220 via the communication link 130 orprocessing by the secure element 230. Communications from the secureelement 230 of the object device 50 may be transmitted to the secureelement controller 320 of the remote device 40 and passed on to themobile device 20 via the communication link 140. The communications inthis example may be in accordance with the NFC standard; but it is to beunderstood the present disclosure is not so limited. The communicationsmay be established in accordance with an additional or alternativestandard.

The secure element interface 340 in one embodiment, by operating as apass-through for communications directed to the secure element 230 ofthe object device 50, may enable the remote device 40 to operablycommunicate with the mobile device 20 as if the remote device 40included a local version of the secure element 230 of the object device50 despite the secure element 230 being stored in the object device 50.

In one embodiment, as described herein, the system 100 may include aplurality of remote devices 40, each including a secure elementinterface 340. The mobile device 20 may establish a communication link140 with any one of the remote devices 40 and communicate with thesecure element 230 of the object device 50 via the secure elementinterface 340 of the remote device 40. The mobile device 20 may beunaware that the secure element 230 is physically located at a remotelocation relative to the remote device 40. The communication link 140between the mobile device 20 and the remote device 40 may be inaccordance with the NFC standard, which may allow for communicationsover a short range, such as less than 20 or 10 cm. The remote device 40may be disposed at a distance much greater than the short range relativeto the object device 50, allowing the mobile device 20 to communicatewith the secure element 230 over a range greater than the short rangeassociated with the communication link 140.

In one embodiment, the distance over which the communication link 140may be extended to communicate with the secure element 230 of the objectdevice 50 may be limited by the communication capabilities of thecommunication link 130 between the remote device 40 and the objectdevice 50.

It is to be understood that the communication link 130 between theremote device 40 and the object device 50 may include sufficientbandwidth to support pass-through or relaying of communications directedto and generated from the secure element 230 of the object device 50with respect to communications between the mobile device 20 and theremote device 40 via the communication link 140. For instance, thebandwidth of the communication link 130 may be greater than or equal tothe bandwidth of the communication link 140 in order to avoidperformance degradation with respect to the communication link 140 andcommunications with the secure element 230 of the object device 50.

In the case where a plurality of remote devices 40 are present, thesystem 100 may be capable of facilitating communications with the secureelement 230 of the object device 50 over an effective range or distancemuch greater than would be otherwise possible with communicationcapabilities limited to direct communication between the object device50 and the mobile device 20. For instance, in the case of a vehicle asthe object 10 and the communication link 140 being an NFC type ofcommunication link, the remote devices 40 may be disposed at variouslocations on the vehicle to enable NFC communications with the secureelement 230 over an effective range much greater than NFC supports. Themobile device 20 may communicate with the secure element 230 via aremote device 40 at several locations on the vehicle.

With a remote device 40 configured in accordance with one embodiment,the mobile device 20 may communicate with the remote device 40 withoutneeding to specifically pair with the remote device 40 for use with asecure element or secure element applet of the mobile device 20. Themobile device 20 may pair with the secure element 230 of the objectdevice 50, and communicate with the secure element 230 via any one ofthe remote devices 40.

In one embodiment, the secure element interface 340 of the remote device40 may be operable to obtain a distributed version of the secure element230 (or an aspect thereof) of the object device 50 via the communicationlink 140 with the object device 50. For instance, the secure elementinterface 340 may obtain a copy of the secure element 230 or a copy ofone or more of the applets 232 of the secure element 230. Thedistributed version of the secure element 230 or an aspect thereof maybe stored in memory 312 of the remote device 40, and is shown in phantomlines as a secure element distributed version 350 and a secure elementdistributed applet 352.

In the illustrated embodiment, the secure element distributed version350 may be substantially similar to the secure element 230 of the objectdevice 50. The secure element interface 340 may be operable tosynchronize or push changes in the secure element distributed version350 to the object device 50 so that the secure element 230 is up-to-datewith respect to such changes. Conversely, the secure element controller220 may be operable to push changes in the secure element 230 to thesecure element controller 320 of the remote device 40 so that the secureelement distributed version 350 is up-to-date.

In one embodiment, the secure element interface 340 may communicate withthe secure element controller 220 to obtain a lock with respect to thesecure element 230. The secure element interface 340 may communicatewith the mobile device 20 in conjunction with the secure elementdistributed version 350, and any changes thereto may be pushed orsynchronized to the secure element 230 in an atomic or serializedmanner. The lock may prevent operations on the secure element 230 thatrelate to operations being conducted by the secure element interface340. It is to be understood that a lock may not be used in cases wherememory locations associated with the secure element 230 and the secureelement distributed version 350 are not changed in response tocommunications between the mobile device 20 of the remote device 40 viathe communication link 140. In this way, the secure element interface340 may conduct atomic operations with respect to the secure element 230while interfacing with the secure element distributed version 350.

With a distributed form of the secure element 230, the remote device 40may communicate with the mobile device 20 in accordance with the secureelement 230 without directly communicating with the secure element 230of the object device 50. As discussed herein, changes pertaining to thesecure element 230 that are generated by the remote device 40 may betransmitted as secure element information by the secure elementcontroller 322 and the secure element controller 220 of the objectdevice 50. This way, the remote device 40 may facilitate synchronizingsuch changes with the secure element 230 of the object device 50.

In one embodiment, the bandwidth of the communication link 140 betweenthe object device 50 and the remote device 40 may be insufficient tofacilitate pass-through or relaying of information between the secureelement controller 320 and the secure element controller 220 of theobject device 50 in real-time to facilitate communications with themobile device 20. For instance, the bandwidth of an NFC communicationlink between the mobile device 20 and the secure element controller 320may be greater than the available bandwidth for the communication link140 between the remote device 40 and the object device 50. To avoid suchbandwidth limitations, the secure element distributed version 350 may beutilized by the secure element interface 340 and present the mobiledevice 20 with an interface substantially identical to the secureelement 230 or an aspect thereof in a manner that is substantiallyundetectable to the mobile device 20. The mobile device 20 in thisconfiguration may not need to pair with a secure element of each remotedevice 40, and instead may be presented with a substantially unifiedinterface in the form of the secure element 230 via the plurality ofremote devices 40 and the object device 50.

In one embodiment, with distributed versions of the secure element 230being provided on one or more remote devices 40, and with the one ormore remote devices 40 being separate from the object device 50, thesystem 100 may provide a failure recovery mode in case of a memoryfailure or device failure (e.g., failure of an object device 50 or aremote device 40). For instance, if the object device 50 fails or anumber or memory becomes corrupt, a new object device 50 may beinstalled to replace the defective object device 50. The secure elementcontroller 220 and/or the secure element controller 320 may communicatewith each other to synchronize with an up-to-date secure element 230.

In one embodiment, the secure element interface 340 may store portionsof the secure elements 230 of the object device 50 in the memory 312 ofthe remote device 40. The portions stored in the memory 312 of theremote device 40 may be absent from the memory of another device, suchas the memory 312 of another remote device and/or the memory 212 of theobject device 50. As a result, memory associated with the secure element230 may be distributed across more than one device in the system 100.The secure element controller 320 and the secure element 230 may beoperable to obtain memory not present in a respective device via thecommunication link 130 if such memory is or becomes required inaccordance with communications with a mobile device 20 via thecommunication link 140. In one embodiment, distributing memoryassociated with the secure element 230 across multiple devices in thesystem 100 may enable the system 100 to increase an effective amount ofmemory associated with the secure element 230.

IV. Method of Operation

A method of operation in accordance with one embodiment according to thepresent disclosure is depicted in FIG. 5 and generally designated 1000.The method may include communicating secure element information withrespect to a secure element 230 stored in a first device, such as anobject device 50. Step 1002. The secure element information maycorrespond to a secure applet 232 of the secure element 230, or thesecure element information may correspond to information directed to ortransmitted from the secure applet 232 of the secure element 230.

A second device, such as a remote device 40, may receive or transmit, orboth, the secure element information with respect to the first device.Step 1004. For instance, as described herein, the second device mayreceive a distributed version of the secure applet 232 of the secureelement, or the second device may receive information generated from thesecure applet 232 stored in the first device. The second device mayprovide a second device secure element interface based on the secureelement information received from the first device. Step 1006.

The second device secure element interface, in one embodiment, maycorrespond to a distributed version of the secure applet 232 of thesecure elements 230. The second device may obtain a lock with respect tothe secure applet 232 in order to prevent read operations with respectto the secure applet 232 stored in the first device. While the lock ispresent, read operations may be permitted for the secure applet 232stored in the first device, including read operations with respect todistributed versions of the secure applet 232 provided on devices otherthan the first and second devices.

The second device secure element interface may facilitate NFCcommunications with a mobile device separate from and movable withrespect to the first and second devices. Steps 1008, 1010. The seconddevice secure element interface may also facilitate transmittinginformation to the first device that is based on the NFC communicationsreceived from the mobile device. Step 1012.

In one embodiment, with the second device secure element interfaceproviding a distributed version of the secure applet 232, NFCcommunications with the mobile device may be substantially identical toNFC communications that would otherwise occur with respect to the secureapplet 232 stored in the first device. In this way, the second devicesecure element interface may enable NFC communications in accordancewith the secure applet 232, despite the second device being remote fromthe first device at a distance for which NFC communications may not bepossible between the first device and the mobile device. Thisarrangement may effectively increase an effective range of NFCcommunications between a system of devices, including first and seconddevices, and the mobile device.

The second device secure element interface, in one embodiment, mayfacilitate relaying information between the secure element 230 stored inthe first device and a mobile device. For instance, NFC communicationsreceived from the mobile device and directed to the secure elements 230may be relayed from the second device to the first device via acommunication link separate from the NFC communications between themobile device and the second device. Information from the secure element230 of the first device may be received by the second device, and thesecond device secure element interface may generate NFC communicationsbased on this information received from the first device.

For purposes of disclosure, the method 1000 is described in conjunctionwith first and second devices. It is to be understood, however, thatadditional devices may interact with the first device and a mannersimilar to the second device. A method of operating a third device inthis manner is depicted in the illustrated embodiment in phantom lines,with steps 1014, 1016, 1018, 1020, 1022 corresponding respectively tosteps 1004, 1006, 1008, 1010, and 1012.

Directional terms, such as vertical, horizontal, top, bottom, upper,lower, inner, inwardly, outer and outwardly, are used to assist indescribing the invention based on the orientation of the embodimentsshown in the illustrations. The use of directional terms should not beinterpreted to limit the invention to any specific orientation(s).

The above description is that of current embodiments of the invention.Various alterations and changes can be made without departing from thespirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles ofpatent law including the doctrine of equivalents. This disclosure ispresented for illustrative purposes and should not be interpreted as anexhaustive description of all embodiments of the invention or to limitthe scope of the claims to the specific elements illustrated ordescribed in connection with these embodiments. For example, and withoutlimitation, any individual element(s) of the described invention may bereplaced by alternative elements that provide substantially similarfunctionality or otherwise provide adequate operation. This includes,for example, presently known alternative elements, such as those thatmight be currently known to one skilled in the art, and alternativeelements that may be developed in the future, such as those that oneskilled in the art might, upon development, recognize as an alternative.Further, the disclosed embodiments include a plurality of features thatare described in concert and that might cooperatively provide acollection of benefits. The present invention is not limited to onlythose embodiments that include all of these features or that provide allof the stated benefits, except to the extent otherwise expressly setforth in the issued claims. Any reference to claim elements in thesingular, for example, using the articles a, an, the or said, is not tobe construed as limiting the element to the singular. Any reference toclaim elements as at least one of X, Y and Z is meant to include any oneof X, Y or Z individually, and any combination of X, Y and Z, forexample, X, Y, Z; X, Y; X, Z; and Y, Z.

1. A communication system comprising: a first device including: a secureelement (SE) including secure element data; a first device controllercommunicatively coupled to said secure element, said first devicecontroller configured to communicate secure element informationpertaining to said secure element, said secure element informationincluding at least one of a) a data packet generated by or provided tosaid secure element and b) at least a portion of said secure elementdata of said secure element; a second device being remote from saidfirst device, said second device communicatively coupled to said firstdevice, said second device including: a second device controllerconfigured to communicate said secure element information with saidfirst device controller, said second device controller operable toprovide a second device secure element interface based on said secureelement information, said second device secure element interface being aremote interface to said secure element of said first device; a seconddevice antenna configured to transmit communications to a mobile deviceand to receive communications from the mobile device; and said seconddevice controller configured to receive, from the mobile device, amobile device data packet for said second device secure elementinterface.
 2. The system of claim 1 comprising: a third device beingremote from said first and second devices, said third devicecommunicatively coupled to said first device, said third deviceincluding: a third device controller configured to communicate saidsecure element information with said first device controller, said thirddevice controller operable to provide a third device secure elementinterface based on said secure element information, said third devicesecure element interface being a remote interface to said secure elementof said first device; a third device antenna configured to transmit andreceive communications from the mobile device; and said third devicecontroller configured to receive, from the mobile device, a mobiledevice data packet for said third device secure element interface. 3.The system of claim 2 wherein said second device controller is operableto obtain a lock with respect to said secure element of said firstdevice, wherein said second device secure element interface is operableas said secure element of said first device, and wherein said thirddevice secure element interface is substantially prevented via said lockfrom operating as said secure element of said first device until aftersaid second device controller releases said lock.
 4. The system of claim3 wherein said lock is obtained with respect to a secure element appletof said secure element, such that another secure element applet of saidsecure element remains unlocked relative to said lock.
 5. The system ofclaim 1 wherein said secure element information received by said seconddevice controller is a distributed version of a secure element applet ofsaid secure element, wherein said second device secure element interfaceis said distributed version of said secure element applet of said secureelement.
 6. The system of claim 5 wherein, after or while the mobiledevice interacts with said distributed version of said secure elementapplet via said second device secure element interface, said seconddevice controller provides secure element information, to said firstdevice controller, pertaining to a state change with respect to saidsecure element relating to interactions between the mobile device andsaid second device secure element interface.
 7. The system of claim 1wherein said secure element information is at least one of received bysaid second device controller and transmitted to said first devicecontroller, wherein said secure element information pertains to saiddata packet generated by or provided to said secure element, whereinsaid second device secure element interface relays the mobile devicedata packet to said secure element via said first and second devicecontrollers to operate as said secure element.
 8. The system of claim 1wherein said first device includes: a first device antenna configured totransmit communications to a mobile device and to receive communicationsfrom the mobile device; and said first device controller configured toreceive, from the mobile device, a mobile device data packet for saidsecure element.
 9. The system of claim 1 wherein said first devicecontroller is operable to provide a distributed interface to content ofsaid secure element.
 10. The system of claim 1 wherein said first devicecontroller and said second device controller are operable to establish asecure communication connection, wherein said secure element informationis transmitted via said secure communication connection.
 11. The systemof claim 1 wherein said second device includes a distributed version ofsaid secure element, and wherein said distributed version of said secureelement forms said second device secure element interface, and whereinsaid distributed version provides a copy of said secure element of saidfirst device.
 12. The system of claim 1 wherein memory associated withsaid secure element is distributed over multiple devices, such thatmemory associated with a secure element applet of said secure element isdecentralized.
 13. A method of communicating, the method comprising:communicating secure element information pertaining to a secure element(SE) of a first device, wherein the secure element information includesat least one of a) a data packet generated by or provided to the secureelement and b) at least a portion of secure element data of the secureelement; communicating, in a second device, the secure elementinformation with the first device; providing, in the second device thatis remote from the first device, a second device secure elementinterface that is based on the secure element information communicatedwith the first device; transmitting communications between the seconddevice and a mobile device; and receiving, in the second device,communications transmitted from the mobile device that includesinformation for the second device secure element interface.
 14. Themethod of claim 13 comprising: communicating, in a third device, thesecure element information with the first device; providing, in thethird device that is remote from the first device, a third device secureelement interface that is based on the secure element informationcommunicated with the first device; transmitting communications betweenthe third device and the mobile device; and receiving, in the thirddevice, communications transmitted from the mobile device that includesinformation for the third device secure element interface.
 15. Themethod of claim 13 comprising: obtaining a lock with respect to thesecure element of the first device; operating the second device secureelement interface as the secure element of the first device; andsubstantially preventing a third device secure element interface of athird device from operating as the secure element of the first deviceuntil after the lock is released.
 16. The method of claim 13 wherein:communicating the secure element information in the second device withthe first device includes the second device receiving the secure elementinformation in accordance with a distributed version of a secure elementapplet of the secure element; and conducting, via the second devicesecure element interface, communications in accordance with thedistributed version of the secure element applet of the secure element.17. The method of claim 16 comprising, after or while the mobile deviceinteracts with the distributed version of the secure element applet viathe second device secure element interface, providing secure elementinformation, to the first device, that pertains to a state change withrespect to the secure element, wherein the state change is based oninteractions between the mobile device and the second device secureelement interface.
 18. The method of claim 16 comprising distributingmemory associated with the secure element applet of the secure elementto multiple devices to provide a decentralized form of the secureelement applet.
 19. The method of claim 13 wherein communicating, in thesecond device, the secure element information with the first deviceincludes relaying the mobile device data packet to the secure element ofthe first device.
 20. The method of claim 19 wherein communicating, inthe second device, the secure element information with the first deviceincludes relaying communications from the secure element of the firstdevice to the mobile device.